The A's host the White Sox tonight in Oakland in what could be a playoff preview. With a huge advantage against Chicago at home, the Athletics are the play in this one behind starter Esteban Loaiza.
Yes, Jon Garland has been one of the hottest pitchers in baseball. But it is hard to ignore the fact that the Athletics are an amazing 22-6 in the last 28 head-to-head meetings between the White Sox and A's in Oakland!
Oakland is also 18-5 in its last 23 home games overall, and its starter Esteban Loaiza has not been pitching badly himself lately. Granted, the Devil Rays bombed him in his last start, but Loaiza had allowed a grand total of two earned runs in his previous five outings, covering 38-2/3 innings.
He is undefeated in his last four home starts, so we see no reason why he cannot regain that fine form here. If he does, this may very well become a battle of the bullpens where Oakland appears to have a decided edge ranking fifth in the Major Leagues in pen ERA.
Now it is difficult to knock anyone with a 17-4 record, but Garland has a higher ERA than one would expect at 4.28, and that figure rises still further to 4.69 when he pitches on the road. Also, he did not have one of his better efforts the only time he faced Oakland this season, surrendering four runs on 10 hits with two walks in 6-1/3 innings.
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LT Profit: Athletics -105
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